Little 'Paws
by Celeste K. Raven
Summary: One-shot. It's high time Firestar's daughters were apprenticed.


''You've got to speak to Firestar about them,'' Dustpelt hissed irritably. His left ear flicked toward the middle of camp where Sandstorm was demonstrating a hunter's crouch to Squirrelkit and Leafkit.

Leafkit was practicing over and over again, making little improvements with each try. Squirrelkit bounced around her sister, squealing advice louder and louder until she was hushed by her mother. Graystripe watched them in amusement.

''Kits will be kits,'' Graystripe said fondly. He remembered when Stormfur and Feathertail were still kits…

''I guess, but they're _his _kits. That shouldn't mean they get to do as they please.''

''Or that we should be any tougher on them,'' Ferncloud reminded her mate.

Dustpelt grunted in acknowledgement. The dark brown tabby took a tangled mess of brambles carefully in his mouth and moved it toward the wall of the nursery.

''I'll talk to him,'' Graystripe promised after a long pause. He didn't miss the doubtful glance that passed from Dustpelt to Thornclaw.

* * *

It was moonhigh. Silverpelt twinkled overhead, a thousand of his warrior ancestors protecting his Clan as it slept, but Firestar could see none of them through the roof of his den. His pink nose twitched rapidly. Graystripe's scent hovered outside, calming and familiar. Firestar could hear his friend's paw steps slow as he neared his leader's den.

''Are you going to stand out there all day?'' Firestar asked in amused tones.

He greeted his deputy with a friendly lick on the ear. Graystripe's tail flicked from side to side, a clear sign of agitation, but Firestar smelled no fear.

''What's wrong?''

The long-haired tom didn't answer immediately. ''Everyone's complaining about Squirrelkit and Leafkit… well, mostly Squirrelkit.

''_Everyone_?''

Graystripe's eyes twinkled in the darkness. ''Dustpelt, Mousefur, Thornclaw, Ashfur, everyone who had to help rebuild the nursery _again_… did I mention Dustpelt?''

Firestar's whiskers twitched. ''I know they've outgrown the nursery… but when I watch them play fight, I know they don't have the skills of a warrior to protect themselves. And they're so small… I don't feel they're ready to be apprenticed.''

Graystripe looked Firestar dead in eyes and mentally called him a mousebrain. Out loud he said; ''They will never have the skills of true warriors until they have mentors to teach them. Also… I think we both know that Leafkit's heart is in the medicine cat's den.''

_With Cinderpelt_, Firestar thought, and it filled him with joy to think that his former apprentice would mentor his daughter.

''Yes,'' Firestar sighed. ''I'll have the ceremony tomorrow.''

_But I want to visit my kits in the nursery one more time before they move on forever. _

* * *

The suns first warming rays shined down on the two cats lying in the clearing. Dustpelt flicked his tongue over Ferncloud's pelt one last time before standing up.

''I'll be back soon,'' he promised in a whisper. The beautiful she-cat nodded her head.

Dustpelt padded toward the gorse tunnel, falling in line with other members of the dawn patrol.

''Dustpelt!''

Dustpelt hung behind, heeding his leader's call. His paws kneaded the ground in impatience as Cloudtail's fluffy pelt disappeared from sight. The patrol was going to leave without him.

''I only need a moment,'' Firestar meowed.

_I should hope so. _

''I'm going to hold Squirrelkit and Leafkit's apprentice ceremony today. Would you be willing to mentor Squirrelkit?''

Dustpelt stared at Firestar. The two cats didn't have the best relationship. Dustpelt would always be loyal to Thunderclan –he'd shred any cat who said otherwise, and Firestar knew it- but they'd never exactly been _friends_. Training the leader's kit was an honor, one more suited to Graystripe, the Thunderclan leader's deputy and closest friend.

_Is he going to be Leafkit's mentor? _

''Yes,'' Dustpelt said evenly. Then, stiffly; ''Thanks.''

Firestar dipped his head in respect for his warrior.

* * *

Firestar prayed Sandstorm would approve of his choice. His certainty wavered under her calculating gaze as he told her who he had chosen to mentor Squirrelkit. He waited for her response.

Finally she answered. ''Starclan help him.''

Firestar purred and brushed his bright pelt against her pale one. She nuzzled his neck and flicked him with her tail. The milky smells of the nursery faded into nothing, they had replaced by Sandstorm's wonderful scent.

''Egh. They're _touching_,'' Squirrelkit said loudly.

Firestar was suddenly self-conscious; his ears flicked several times. He was highly aware of the several pairs of amused eyes that were trained on him, one of which was Sandstorm's.

_She'll understand one day, _his mate's eyes said.

_I just hope the whole camp didn't hear her, _his responded.

Firestar was stunned out of his embarrassment when two balls of fur head-butted him at full speed. He reacted instinctively, whirling around and hissing, revealing his sharp teeth. Leafkit cowered and tucked her head into her light brown body, but Squirrelkit stood up and moved closer to her father, eyes glowing. She had a strong admiration for his fierceness.

Firestar felt Sandstorm's tail on his shoulder and he relaxed his hackles immediately. He glanced apologetically at Goldenflower who, ever protective of all the kits in the nursery, came forward to cradle Leafkit and whisper soothing words.

Squirrelkit ignored her sister's fear. ''That was so _great. _I'm gonna be tough like you someday! All my enemies will turn tail and run before I even swipe at them!''

Firestar bumped Squirrelkit gently with his nose. ''Good, but there's no need to intimidate your Clanmates. You startled me, is all.''

''Be respectful to your father, he's Clan leader too,'' Sandstorm chided. ''I don't know what got into your head-''

''Leafkit did it too!'' Squirrelkit interjected.

''Because you told me to,'' Leafkit whined from Goldenflower's nest. ''You said he might accidently show us a warrior move.''

''It was a good plan,'' Squirrelkit huffed. Some part of Firestar had to agree with her.

Sandstorm had sworn off teaching her kits warrior moves after they'd broken though the wall of the nursery and gotten themselves scratched from head to tail. Squirrelkit had been trying to weasel moves out of every warrior in camp ever since, bothering the elders and even sneaking out of camp to get a glimpse of one of Shrewpaw's training sessions.

''I'll make you a promise,'' Firestar said, crouching down to look his daughter straight in the eyes. He could just see the tip of Leafkit's ears over Goldenflower's pale ginger coat, and knew she was listening too. ''If you're obedient all day, I'll make you and your sister apprentices this evening.''

Squirrelkit's green eyes widened as she realized what he father had just said. She took off to her sister and pawed at her insistently, claws sheathed.

''Do you hear that, Leafkit? Firestar says we're going to be 'paws tonight. We're gonna sleep in the apprentice den with Shrewpaw. We're gonna train and learn to fight and-''

''But I want to be a medicine cat,'' Leafkit wailed in distress.

Squirrelkit stopped pawing at her, ears drooping a bit. ''I want to train with you. It's not going to be as fun if I have to put up with Spiderpaw all by myself.''

Firestar gave Squirrelkit as stern a look as he could manage. Then he turned towards his other daughter. ''I haven't forgotten. I've already spoken to Cinderpelt about you. She'd be thrilled to have some company.''

Leafkit's eyes shinned. Squirrelkit turned away and started viciously attacking a wad of moss, messing up Frostfur's nest.

''Fine. I'll practice all by myself,'' she said in a hurt voice.

Firestar knew she would be eager and happy again in a moment. The littermates had always had a deep bond, just like Leafkit had always claimed she wanted to be Cinderpelt's apprentice.

_They're our little kits; and soon, they're going to be our little 'paws. _

* * *

**Somehow, in the mist of my Tigerstar obsession, this was born. I'm rather fond of it actually; I love to read about Squirrelflight and Leafpool as kits. If you guys know of any cute kit stories, please tell me so I can read them too!**

**Write On!**


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